


Miscommunication is Better than No Communication

by queenofthefallenfics



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Student/Teacher, Aromantic Charlie Weasley, Asexual Charlie Weasley, Asexual Relationship, Asexual Rowan Khanna, Dorks in Love, F/F, F/M, Non-Binary Rowan Khanna, Other, Professor Rowan Khanna, Student Charlie Weasley
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-02
Updated: 2018-09-02
Packaged: 2019-07-05 23:14:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,244
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15873675
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/queenofthefallenfics/pseuds/queenofthefallenfics
Summary: Person A is a University student and meets Person B at a gathering and end up having a one night stand.  The next morning when A attend their class, they see B there too, however, B isn’t a student, but the new young professor for the class.In which a slight miscommunication makes for a happy surprise.





	Miscommunication is Better than No Communication

**Author's Note:**

> 1) Rowan is non-binary and uses they/them pronouns.
> 
> 2) whenever I'll write with the Player Character, or whatever we're called, I'll use Amy Fawley for the female name and Michael Fawley for the male name. They're both top 5 for most popular first names in England during 1973 which is when they would have been born (ish) and Fawley is a pureblood name so it gives me space to decide if I want to make Amy/Mike pureblood or no with each different story with the Hogwarts Mystery gang.

Charlie walked into the club, looking around for his friends.

“Weasley!”  With only his shouted name as a warning, Charlie felt a body slam into him and hold onto him.

Charlie laughed and hugged Barnaby back.  “Lee!” he exclaimed. “What’s up, bro? How was summer?”

“Ah, same old, same old,” he shrugged.  “But, look at you, Mr. Big Shot Zoo Keeper.”

“Oh, not really,” Charlie said, shaking his head.  “It was just cleaning up at a petting farm.”

“Stop being so humble,” Penny insisted, giving him a quick hug, then went back to holding her girlfriend’s hand.  “You did a lot of work and hung out with animals, which is more than any of us did.”

“Yeah, your summer seemed pretty cool, Charlie,” Amy, Penny’s girlfriend agreed, shooting him a wink.  “But what happened with that kid you were seeing? What was his name?”

“It was Jane, actually,” Charlie corrected her.  “And she was alright, but we broke it off because of school and really, we both know it was just a summer fling.”

“Summer fling,” Andre echoed, smirking.  “Look at you, Charlie-boy.”

Charlie flushed, then shifted.  “Can I get some drinks guys?”

“To the bar!”  Ben yelled, already drunk.  Tonks laughed and Tulip untangled herself from her and gently guided Ben to the bar.

“He had three shots of tequila,” Penny told him.

“And you know how he gets around tequila,” Amy finished, watching to other two girls sit him down and force some water down him.

Charlie followed them to the bar and after his drinks were ordered and shots were taken, he gently pried Barnaby off of him.  “I don’t want to dance just yet, Lee,” he said. “Go and I’ll catch up with you guys later.”

“Fine, fine,” Barnaby grumbled.  “Andre, Tulip, my favorite nerds, dance with me!”  Charlie and Tonks laughed at the look on Andre’s face, but before Andre could protest, Tulip and Barnaby dragged him onto the dance floor.  Penny and Tonks followed, leaving Charlie, Ben, and Amy alone.

“So, really,” Amy started, “what happened with you and Jane.”

Charlie shrugged, drinking some more of his ale.  “It just didn’t work out,” he muttered. “She didn’t really understand, nor care, about the fact that I was ace.”

“Bitch,” Amy said heatedly.  “She’s trash, Charlie. You’re better off without her,” she declared.

Charlie laughed and shook his head.  “I don’t really care, Ames, honestly,” he said.  “I’m just gonna be alone for the rest of my life, that’s all.”

“That’s bullshit!”  Ben yelled, suddenly aware of what was going on.  “You’re perfect, Charlie! You’re so perfect, I’m going to marry you!”

Charlie beamed at his friend.  “Thanks, Ben, but-”

“After this,” he added, then threw up.  Charlie gagged as he watched his friend vomit on his shoes and Amy groaned, thunking her head on the bar counter.  When Ben finished, he wiped his mouth and looked up at the ginger. “I’m sorry,” he said, tears in his eyes.

“It’s fine, Ben,” Charlie sighed.

“You better clear that up,” the bartender said from behind the counter.

“Here,” Charlie offered, “I’ll drop him off at his dorm room and you can clean that up.”

Amy sighed.  “Yeah, yeah, you gotta clean yourself off anyways.  Sorry, Charlie,” she apologized. “This isn’t how I thought tonight would go.”

“‘M sorry,” Ben said, eyes still glistening with tears.

“It’s fine, kid,” Charlie promise, “here, just come with me, alright?”

“Okay, Charlie,” he nodded, still looking glum and miserable.  He took a step then stopped. “I can’t walk,” he mumbled when Charlie leaned in to hear him.  “I’m gonna vom again.”

Charlie sighed and looked at Amy who was silently laughing and recording with her phone.  “Alright, I’ll carry you,” he said. “C’mon, Ben, just make it outside and I’ll give up a piggyback ride.”

Ben nodded.  “I’ll see you tomorrow Amy,” he said, waving bye to the brunette.  Tell the others I said bye too.”

“Of course,” she assured him.  “Drink water, Ben, okay? If you can’t make it to classes tomorrow, then I’ll take notes for you.”

Ben just gave her a weak smile, then started a slow and careful walk to the door.

Charlie gave her a quick hug and tossed down the rest of his drink.  “I’ll make sure he has some more water, Ames,” he promised her.

“Okay, I’ll see you tomorrow for breakfast though.  Meet me at the food court for breakfast,” she instructed him.

“Okay,” he shrugged.  “See you at six then.”  He ignored Amy spluttering and cursing, instead, he pushed his way through the throng of people and got outside.  Ben was leaning against some closed storefront, eyes closed. “Up we go, Benji,” he said softly. “C’mon, up we get.”

Ben groaned as he climbed up onto Charlie’s back and then rested his sweaty forehead on Charlie’s shoulder.  Charlie chuckled lightly and made his way back to the campus. “Charlie,” Ben whispered into his ear.

“Yeah, Benji?”

“I’m sorry about you and Jane,” he muttered.  “You deserve better than that.”

Charlie sighed.  “It’s fine,” he lied.

“You’re lying,” he replied, tiredly.  “And even if you were, then that’s fucked up.  You deserved better than that. Better than me vomiting on your shoes and cutting your welcome back party short.”

Charlie smiled.  “Ben, really, I’m okay,” he swore.  “I don’t like going out too much anyways.  You know that dumby, we shared a dorm last year!”

“Yeah, yeah,” he nodded, then moaned at the action.  “But, really, she shouldn’t have dumped you over your sexuality.”

“Amen, broski,” Charlie agreed.  He sighed then said, “You know, it does suck.  Like, seriously. The fact that people can accept that Tulip can be gay, Tonks be bi, and you be trans, but that I don’t ever want to have sex is fucking beyond me.  Like, and I know that sounds shity and it reaks of infighting or whatever, but at the same time, it’s true.”

“Yeah, the queer community is pretty fucking toxic,” Ben commented.

“Exactly!”  Charlie exclaimed, getting his keycard from his pocket without jostling Ben too much and getting onto the elevator  “And, like, why should I have to justify every time I don’t go out with someone? Or that when I say ‘Netflix and chill’, all I want to do is eat a Family Size bag of chips and binge watch some sitcom again for the hundredth time.  And, honestly, the entire concept of sexual activities is disgusting and should only be talked about in Bio, you know what I mean?”

Ben just snored and Charlie chuckled softly.

He unlocked the door to the double Ben shared with Barnaby and then carefully put Ben on the bed.  Then he took off his friend’s shoes and jeans and threw a blanket over him. Charlie looked down at him and then decided to put a garbage basket, a cup of water, and the bottle of aspirin the boys shared.

“Ben,” he whispered, crouching down and shaking his shoulder.  “Benji, wake up!”

“Wha’?”  Ben slurred, eyes cracked open just a little.

“Take this boilermaker, bro,” Charlie urged, holding out the cup of water.

“Okay,” Ben shrugged, taking the cup and chugging it.  “Ugh,” he groaned, opening his eyes halfway, staring at him blearily.  “This isn't beer. What the hell, bro?”

Charlie laughed at his indignant expression.  “Go to bed, bro,” he said, standing up. “You’ll thank me later.”

“No, I won’t,” Ben pouted, then immediately fell asleep.  Charlie laughed and then left the room, shutting the door quietly.  He left the dorm hall and looked around the campus. He yawned and then headed to his own dorm, the puke on, and in, his shoes almost completely dried.

Charlie was halfway across campus when he stopped, staring up at the new Arts building that Hogwarts U finally finished over summer break.  He looked around, didn’t see the campus police and shrugged, then walked into the building, looking around.

It was typical Hogwarts style, with arches and columns and limestone or some other beige stone.  Charlie took his phone out and snapped a few photos of the new paintings on the walls. Then a crash from down the dark and deserted hallway echoed and Charlie froze.  He took a breath and then put his phone away.

“You’re a stocky, squirrely motherfucker, Charlie,” he muttered to himself.  “You’re not gonna die. You’re gonna be the shit outta this clown-fucker.”

He crept down the hall and then frowned at what he saw.

The door to one of the lecture halls was open and the light was on.  Someone was swearing wildly and Charlie relaxed. At best, it was a student who broke in and was drunk and at worse, it was just some electrician or something, doing a last-minute fix-up.

Charlie walked down the hall and looked through the door.  It was a kid, a few inches shorter than him and they were playing around with the podium and their laptop, obviously trying to get the archaic internet system to work.  Charlie cleared his throat softly, trying not to startle the kid, but when that didn’t work, he knocked on the doorframe.

“Hey,” he said, startling the person in front of him.  “Need help with something?”

The person in front of him, turned around, clearly embarrassed and surprised.  “Oh, uh, hello,” they stammered. “I’m fine, Rowan. I- I mean, I’m fine. My name is Rowan.”

Charlie gave Rowan a wide grin.  “Alright, nice to meet you, Rowan,” he said.  “I’m Charlie.”

“Nice to meet you, Charlie,” Rowan echoed with a hint of a nervous smile.

“So, what are you doing here, then?  First weekend back at HU and I’d figure most people are out, not looking at the new building and the classrooms,” he pointed out.

“Oh, well,” Rowan shrugged.  “I have my Gender Studies class here, so I figured that I should look around at where I’ll be spending the year, you know?”

“Gender Studies?”  Charlie exclaimed, surprised.  “That’s great, I have that this year, too.”

“That’s amazing,” Rowan beamed.  “I was a bit nervous that no one would take it, but I’m glad to meet you.”

“So why do you have this class?”  Charlie asked, walking over to one of the desks and sitting on it.

“Oh, well, I figured ‘non-binary, asexual, genius’ means I’m a perfect fit for this class,” Rowan explained, leaning on the podium.  Charlie just stared at them, mouth open. Rowan shifted then cleared their throat. “Are- Uh-”

“I’m sorry,” Charlie apologized.  “Uh, it’s just that most people don’t know about asexuality.  Or even believe that it exists.”

Rowan narrowed their eyes.  “Are you asexual, Charlie?” they asked.

“Yeah,” he nodded, not ashamed.  “And, maybe aromantic?” he shrugged.  “I’m still figuring it out.”

“Hey, you have time,” Rowan assured him casually.

“Yeah, I know,” he nodded.  He shifted and then winced, looking down at his shoes.  “Ugh, hey, I have to go. A friend of mine got a little too crazy tonight, you know what I mean?”

Rowan laughed and started packing up their things.  “I can accompany you,” they said. “But, yeah, my friend wanted me to go out and I was like ‘Thanks, but no, Ames. Parties aren’t my thing.’”

“Ames?”  Charlie echoed.  “Amy Fawley?”

Rowan blinked.  “Yeah, do you know her?”

Charlie grinned.  “Hell yeah, Rowan.  She’s a friend of mine, too,” he said.  “Man, I’m glad I didn’t stay out then.” He opened the door for them and smiled at their flush.  “Then I wouldn’t have met you,” he winked.

Rowan flushed, clearing their throat.  “Yeah, I suppose so,” they agreed. “Where are you headed?”

“Oh, literally the other side of campus,” Charlie said.  “What about you?”

“Just to the parking lot,” Rowan told him, pointing ahead to the parking lot in front of them.  “Amy and I are sharing her apartment this year.”  
  
“Yeah, Amy moved off campus, didn’t she?”  Charlie remembered. “Yeah, uh, Penny, Tulip, and Tonks are sharing a dorm with Lizard, right?”  
  
“I guess,” Rowan shrugged.  “I kinda forgot about the whole living arrangements for the on-campus plebs,” they joked.  
  
Charlie laughed at the joke, shaking his head.  “Man, you dodged a blow with that. Me and Lee almost got into a fist fight over who got to room with Andre,” he said.  “I mean, I have no problem with Ben, but Andre is god tier roommate. Ben? Not so much.”

Rowan laughed and then leaned against their car.  “Well, Ames is alright. She and Penny have promised to give me at least a few hours heads up before they spend the night together,” they confided.

“So it seems like there’s two god tier’s in one apartment,” Charlie praised.

Rowan stared up at him, cheeks a bit red and Charlie grinned at them.  Charlie watched them pull themselves together then unlocked their door.  Rowan threw their bag into the car and then pulled out a pen. “Give me your hand,” they instructed and Charlie held out his hand, a little impressed by their authority.

Charlie watched as they wrote on his hand, their tongue sticking out a little.

Then Rowan put their pen into their pocket and smiled up at her.  “I’ll see you later, then, Charlie,” they said and got into their car.  Rowan waved by at him through the windshield and drove off.

Charlie watched their car drive away and then looked at his hand.  “Oh fuck me,” he groaned, laughing. Instead of Rowan writing their number on his hand, they just wrote their class schedule.  He shook his head and then started heading towards his dorm, smiling and shaking his head at himself and his head.

When he got back to his room, Andre was still out and Charlie quickly wrote down the class schedule before getting in the shower and burning off the skin on his vomit covered feet.  Then when he got out and checked his phone one last time before going to bed and smiled.

**From (0)20 7910 1491: Hey, it’s Rowan.**

**From (0)20 7910 1491: I just wanted to make sure that you knew that I was into you**

**From (0)20 7910 1491: And that it was my schedule for tomorrow**

**From (0)20 7910 1491: So that when I’m done my last class, we can grab a drink**

**From (0)20 7910 1491: Like coffee, not a drink, drink**

**From (0)20 7910 1491: Oh, I got your number from Amy**

**From (0)20 7910 1491: I’m not some creepy stalker and just like Googled the fuck out of you**

**From (0)20 7910 1491: Well, I just wanted to let you know that**

**From (0)20 7910 1491: I hope to see you tomorrow :(**

**From (0)20 7910 1491: *:) :) :)**

**From (0)20 7910 1491: (didn’t mean to send the frowny face)**

**From (0)20 7910 1491: Night**

Charlie looked at the string of texts and shook his head.

**To Rowan: See you tomorrow :D**

**From Rowan: :)**

* * *

 

Charlie leaned against the wall, watching as a flood of students left one of the new lecture halls and waited for Rowan.  They were one of the last students out and when they saw him, a pretty smile lit up their whole face.

“Hey Charlie,” they greeted, fiddling with the strap of their messenger bag.  “How are you?” Before Charlie could respond, they continued talking. “Sorry about the other night.  I was nervous. Not that speaking to you makes me nervous, explicitly, it’s just that I don’t normally do that.  And Amy said that you would be a nice guy to date and I was a little nervous because I haven’t-”

“I’m good thanks,” Charlie interrupted them as they took a deep breath.  “I’m glad you texted me, Rowan. It was thoughtful of you.”

“A flood of messages is thoughtful?”  Rowan questioned skeptically.

“It lets me know that you’re thinking of me,” Charlie pointed out as they started walking down the hall.  “And even if it’s a flood or trickle, to a thirsty man, water is water.”

Rowan laughed and Charlie grinned like an idiot.  “Well that makes sense, I guess. So, do you prefer Starbucks or Madam Puddifoot's?”  Rowan asked.

“Starbucks is fine for now. But maybe next time we could try Puddifoot’s,” he winked.

Rowan snorted.  “What makes you think you’ll get that far, Charlie?”  they questioned.

“Oh, I bet-”

“Ah, Professor Khanna!”  Charlie stopped talking when Professor McGonagall stopped in front of them.  He gave the professor a quick smile then stepped to the side, giving her space to walk through. McGonagall just gave him a confused look then turned to Rowan.  “How was your first day of classes, Rowan?”

Charlie blinked when Rowan replied to McGonagall with a nervous smile.  “Very well, Professor,” they nodded. “Not too many disruptions for the first day.  Had one student in the wrong room, but that’s it.”

“Well let’s hope that you’ll have a good group of students this semester,” McGonagall smiled.  “Even if you have a misfortune of a Weasley in your class.”

“Oh, uh, no,” Rowan said, shaking their head.  “Char- uh, Mr. Weasley was just asking if he could join the class, but unfortunately, it is full.”

“Which teacher do you have this semester for Gender Studies, Mr. Weasley?”  McGonagall asked and Charlie looked at her in surprise.

“Uh, right, I have Professor Burbage, Professor,” he said.  “I just heard so many great things about the new professor, I would’ve loved to see a class with them.”

“Maybe next semester,” McGonagall suggested.

“Nah, I mean, no.  I graduate early,” he admitted.  “Took some summer classes back home and the credits got transferred over.  I mean, the only reason I’m taking this class is because I needed the credits to stay registered as a full-time student.”  When McGonagall raised her brow, he hurried to add, “Also, because it did seem interesting. At least more interesting than one of Professor Snape’s classes.  Also, just because I’m pre-vet, doesn’t mean I have to be ignorant.”

“I see,” McGonagall commented, sounding impressed.  “Well, have a good semester Mr. Weasley and I’ll see you at the next staff meeting, Rowan.”

“Right, see you then,” Rowan nodded, smiling at the older woman.

Charlie waited until McGonagall was out of earshot, then turned to Rowan.

_“You’re a Professor?”_

_“You’re a student?”_

They both stared at each other, then shifted awkwardly.  “Uh, I thought you were some student who had broken in last night,” Charlie admitted.

“I just thought you were a professor,”  Rowan shrugged. “I mean, you’re so…” They trailed off and just flapped their hands at his chest.

Charlie grinned and then it dropped when he realized something.  “So, I guess that we can’t…” He didn’t finish his sentence, instead, he gave Rowan a sad smile.

“Well, actually, since you’re not in the College of Arts, we could…”  Rowan stopped talking, offering him a hopeful smile.

Charlie thought it over for a second then grinned.  “Alright, Starbucks it is,” he said casually. “Like I was saying earlier, I bet that after a few dates, you’ll be the one dragging me Puddifoot’s.”

Rowan laughed.  “Doubtful,” they countered.  “I have pretty high standards.  Who knows if you can meet them, Charlie?”

Charlie gave them a soft smile.  “Well, I can always try, right, Khanna?”

Rowan blinked and then flushed, clearly flustered.  “Uh, right, okay, well-” They cut themselves off on purpose and cleared their throat.  “Let’s just go.”

Charlie laughed and followed them out of the building.

 

**Author's Note:**

> Okay, so I've never hooked up with a professor (yet, haha, jk jk (maybe)), but the first thing that popped up is that if they started in the same college/program, it's technically prohibited. And since Hogwarts has always played it fast and loose with the rules, I figure 'Eh, why not?'
> 
> Also, Charlie is studying for veterinary school and in undergrad. Rowan is in the Sociology department.


End file.
